The Statesir Cancer Center at CentraState Medical Center is proud to announce that it now offers a new, non-surgical radiation treatment solution for certain basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers that will significantly expand the treatment options available to their cancer patients. Skin brachytherapy offers skin cancer patients precision treatment with minimal scarring and side effects.
Historically, treatment of early stage, non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC) — including basal cell carcinoma (BCC) or squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) which commonly occur on sun-exposed areas of the skin such as the face and lips—has been invasive surgical excision or cryotherapy (freezing the tumor). For patients who do not want to undergo extensive surgery and whose cosmetic outcome weighs heavily in treatment selection, skin brachytherapy is quickly becoming the preferred treatment because the radiation source is placed at the site of the cancer cells on the surface of the skin to precisely deliver a tailored radiation dose directly to the tumor. Exposure and/or damage to surrounding healthy tissue is minimized, providing reduced risk of side effects, improved cosmetic outcomes and better quality of life compared to other treatment options.
“We are extremely excited to offer our skin cancer patients, who meet certain criteria, this new treatment technology,” says Barry Asch, assistant vice president, Cancer Services, The Statesir Cancer Center at CentraState. “CentraState’s talented team of skilled, leading cancer specialists provides a unified support system unlike any other medical facility and now offers cancer treatment options that give patients the kinds of choices found in the most respected medical centers throughout the country.”
Fifty percent of patients diagnosed with cancer are prescribed radiotherapy. Unlike external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), which directs radiation to the tumor from outside the body, brachytherapy delivers radiation directly to the cancer by placing a radiation applicator immediately onto the tumor site. Specially trained radiation oncologists perform skin brachytherapy as an outpatient procedure. Through a combination of state-of-the-art imaging, computer-based planning and advanced treatment delivery technologies, the physician can concentrate a high dose of radiation in a very specific area, to destroy cancer with minimal damage to nearby healthy body tissue and organs. This reduces the risk of potential side effects and enables a typically shorter treatment period involving less recovery, compared with other treatment options such as invasive surgery or EBRT.
For more information about skin brachytherapy for the treatment of skin cancer and all other treatment options offered at The Statesir Cancer Center at CentraState Medical Center, call 855-411-CANCER or visit centrastate.com/skinbrachytherapy.
CentraState Healthcare System is a nonprofit community health organization consisting of an acute-care hospital, a health and wellness campus, three senior living communities, a Family Medicine Residency Program, and a charitable foundation. CentraState’s teaching program is sponsored by Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.